Offroad vehicles or "ATVs" as they are commonly referred to are designed to be operated over rugged terrain. These vehicles are often operated on steep inclines and declines, on rough roads, and in mud and water.
These vehicles include a frame supported by wheels. In one common arrangement, the vehicle has four wheels. An internal combustion engine is used to power at least one, and most commonly all, of the wheels.
In this arrangement, a first drive shaft extends to a front axle and a second drive shaft extends to a rear axle. Each of these drive shafts extends generally parallel to a centerline of the vehicle extending in the front and rear directions.
The first and second drive shafts are driven by a crankshaft of the engine. The vehicle includes a transmission through which the first and second drive shafts are powered by the crankshaft.
It is very desirable for the engine and related drive train of the vehicle to have a compact arrangement. To facilitate this goal, the rotation of the crankshaft must be transmitted to the first and second drive shafts with a compact transmission. In addition, the transmission must be arranged to prevent heat damage to the transmission components. The close placement of the transmission components lessens heat dissipation and makes more likely heat damage the components of the transmission.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an offroad vehicle with a transmission which is both compact and which is arranged to avoid excessive heating of the components thereof.